论刑法回应社会热点事件的限度——以《刑法修正案(十一)》“冒名顶替”入刑为视角

On the Limits of Criminal Law’s Response to Hot Social Events-From the Perspective of "Impostor Entering Penalty" in Amendment(11)

通过回应社会热点事件以增设新罪名或增加已有罪名罪状是刑法膨胀的主要路径之一。《刑法修正案(十一)》的通过特别是其中对"冒名顶替"的犯罪化,再一次强化了刑法对社会热点事件的回应程度。基于刑法治理社会的手段属性,其具有回应热点社会事件的合理性。基于"冒名顶替"行为本身的恶劣程度,将其入刑具有一定的现实意义。但某一行为能否进入刑法的规制视野,应当综合考察行为所侵害法益的确定性、行为的类型化、行为的可归责性等内容,并兼顾报应和预防的刑罚观。过度地以刑法对社会热点事件进行仓促、频繁的回应与刑法条文类型化本质相矛盾,易忽略对引发社会问题深层原因的探索,导致刑法权威性丧失,公众刑法信念被削弱。基于犯罪标签的难消解和犯罪附随后果在社会中的普遍存在,我国当前并非是以刑法广泛参与社会治理的最佳时机,刑法应谨慎回应社会热点事件。

One of the main paths for the recent expansion of criminal law is to add new charges or increase existing charges by responding to hot social events.The publication of the amendments to the Criminal Law(11),especially the criminalization of "impostors",once again strengthened the criminal law ’s response to hot social events.Based on the nature of the criminal law,it is reasonable to respond to hot social events.Based on the harshness of the "impostor" behavior itself,it has a certain practical significance for its punishment.However,whether a certain behavior can enter the regulatory vision of the criminal law should comprehensively examine the certainty of the legal interests,the type of behavior,the attributable nature of the behavior and so on,while taking into account the retribution and prevention functions of the penalty.Excessive use of criminal law to make hasty and frequent responses to hot social events is inconsistent with the categorization of criminal law provisions.It will ignore the re al causes of social problems,le ading to the loss of the authority of criminal law and the weakening of public belief in criminal law.Based on the intractability of criminal labels and the widespread existence of criminal collateral effects in society,it is not the best time for criminal law to participate in social governance widely in China.Criminal law should respond to hot social events cautiously.